The Light at the End of the Tunnel
by KateB819
Summary: PostEvo, 150 years after the movie. The American Coven has turned its back on Selene and Michael, so they are the leaders of the Lycan race. The story is told as if the present year is 2202.
1. Prologue

* * *

**PROLOGUE**

* * *

I had to fall  
To lose it all  
But in the end  
It doesn't even matter

- Linkin Park

* * *

_I thought the war ended. But I was wrong._

_In the end of the year of 2002, the three vampiric Elders were killed. Two of the deaths were by my own hand. When the secrets surrounding the initiating of the war had been exposed by me and one other, Michael Corvin, I truly believed that I had shot the last Lycan. When the death of two Elders were by my hand, I thought the worst was over._

_But I was wrong._

_The war was not over. In fact, it has been raging for the last 200 years with no end in sight There was a light at the end of the tunnel once, about 50 years ago, in the year 2152._


	2. Chapter 1

Michael and Selene had been in each other's lives for 150 years by the year of 2152, and they were leaders of the Stealth Shooters, already.

But how were the Stealth Shooters formed? Who were they?

Michael and Selene had just gotten away from William's prison. They hadn't known where to turn to next, but eventually they found that going to the American Coven seemed most plausible. When they, however, pleaded for their aid and leniency, the Coven turned their back on them. In fact, they declared that in spite of the recent events, they were not done concerning the war with the Lycans. They said that the war was only just beginning.

So, Michael and Selene went to the Lycans, or at least, where the majority of them were, to ask them if they would support the idea of an alliance. When the vote came in, most of them supported the idea, and most of the others were quickly swayed to the opposing side.

Luckily, all of these Lycans were willing to fight. So Michael and Selene decided to call their group – since there **_were_** Lycans that did not want an alliance – the Stealth Shooters. This group consists mostly of Lycans, Michael and Selene, and a few rogue Death Dealers who **_did_** support the cause.

In the beginning of the year 2152, the time was a dark period, much like it is now, 50 years later. There seemed to be no end in sight; no light at the end of the tunnel, no hope, and the possibility of an ending soon seemed to slowly dissipate.

When there are good times ahead, that usually means having to go through bad times, times where it seems impossible for anything good to come of it. But eventually, the good times do roll around.

Those good times are the light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, **_that_** time the light wasn't the actual light… it was only a train that seemed to speed by too quick altogether.

**2152**

Selene and Michael were good leaders. Not the best, – after all, no one could be, in their situation – but as good as they could be in their situation.

They had one advisor that they trusted dearly. He had assumed leadership in that brief time between the slaying of Viktor and Lucian to the arrival of Selene and Michael. His name was Derek, and his primary job was to be the tie-breaker if Selene and Michael did not agree on something, which was not often. In fact, Selene and Michael agreed on most things, so Derek's initial purpose was not exercised often.

Derek's other job was to learn about rumors and decide if they were fact from fiction. If the rumors that were proved correct, he would pass them on to Selene and Michael.

The beginning of 2152 was a bad period for the Stealth Shooters. The Death Dealers were developing weapons that were far more advanced than that of the Stealth Shooters. The Dealers began using what they called Laser Tasers, which resembled the old guns of a century and half before, but they shot lasers instead. The Shooters, in spite of their name, were still using the Laser Swords, which looked like the lightsabers of the "Star Wars" movies.

The Dealers' weapons, in spite of their need to be re-loaded (much like the guns), could fire from a distance, unlike the Laser Swords, which required the wielders to fight their opponents up close.

This caused a sharp decline in the Shooters' population, and stopped any decline in the Dealers' population.

The members of the Shooters were trying to make Laser Tasers as well, but were also trying to develop some new kind of weapon that would help turn this war around.

"Things aren't looking too good," Selene retorted. She was still dressed in her leathers, as she had been over a century ago. In fact, her figure had barely changed at all.

"I know," Michael agreed. He was dressed in a black leather suit and black jeans. His hair was cut to a short length, not longer than an inch long and just past his ears. He was still clean-shaven.

"Update on the weapons," Selene demanded of Marc, the Shooters' main go-to guy for weapons. He was in charge of the development of new weapons, and had called a meeting with Selene, Michael, and Derek.

"Derek isn't here, yet," Marc said.

Derek was usually late to meetings, since he was always getting updates at the last minute.

Suddenly, Derek ran into the meeting room. The room, which was little more than a hole in a wall, was bleak and deprived of color. The concrete walls were bare, and the only color that wasn't gray in the room other than the immortals in it was the deep brown wooden desk.

Derek, who also had extremely short hair, wore a brown, beat-up coat with black slacks. He wore slim, sleek spectacles, and wore a tiny mechanism in his ear that resembled a futuristic hearing-aid. He was visually exhausted, and seemed relieved to get away from wherever he had just come from. His face, however, showed a slight hint of apprehension.

"Sorry I'm late," Derek apologized, then added, "again."

"Where were you," Selene asked.

"Getting the latest update."

"And?"

"It's not good. We've lost 10 men in one night."

"Shit."

Marc cleared his throat.

Michael directed his attention to Marc. "So, why'd you call the meeting, Marc?"

Marc cleared his throat again, but more dramatically, as if he was presenting the cure to the deadliest disease on Earth. "Well, you are all aware we've been getting our asses kicked big-time by the Dealers." He paused, and Selene gave him an expectant look. He went on, "What with their shiny new 'Laser Tasers,' while we're still stuck with the clumsy _Star Wars_-rip-offs. So…"

Marc trailed off, walking to the back of the room, which was only a few steps away. He placed his hand over a large cloth, which was covering what seemed to be a large box.

"…I made a mass production of these!"

Marc pulled the cloth of stealthily, revealing a large box of what seemed to be about a few hundred thick plates. They were a glossy black, with a sheen that made them look beautiful.

"Behold – the **Fate** **Plate**!"

"What does it do?" Selene's curiosity peaked.

"Oh, that's the best part," Marc said, as excited now as a child on Christmas morning.

Marc picked one up and presented it so that everyone could see it. It **_did_** look like a large, shiny, black plate. It had two buttons on it, one a white and the other a black color.

Marc gently tapped the white button. A soft whirring sounded for a couple of seconds and soon a handle stuck out of the rim of the plate. Marc grabbed the plate by the handle, and pushed a button, which was one of two on the interior of the handle. Another whirring noise sounded, much more quick and high-pitched. A thick blade stuck out from the interiors of the plate, the color of a slate gray.

Marc pushed the second button on the handle, and a blue laser shone on the blade.

The whole process had taken at most ten seconds, and the weapon had gone from a simple thick, black plate to a dangerous saw-like laser-bladed device.

Selene let out a gasp of amazement.

"Wow," Michael whispered softly.

Derek stared at it in amazement.

Smiling complacently, Marc went into more detail about the weapon. "It's a blade, but it's a laser. No re-loading is required, and watch **_this_**!"

Marc hurled the device at the a nearby chair. The laser-blade cut through the chair like butter, and continued to soar through the air, hurtling into the wall. It impacted the wall with a soft "thud", and stopped traveling just as it went through the wall a little.

"You aren't limited to close combat," Selene remarked, astonished.

Marc declared confidently, "This has **_gotta_** be the light at the end of the tunnel! There's just **_no way_** that those bloody Dealers are gonna come up with somethin' that's gonna trump **_this_**!"

Marc was correct. The Dealers were not going to be able to create a weapon that was better than the Fate Plate. But he was also wrong – this was not the light at the end of the tunnel.


	3. Chapter 2

The time was late now. Even most vampires were tired from the night's activities and were heading to bed.

It was now four weeks since the Fate Plate, or "FP", as most Stealth Shooters were now calling them, had been introduced. It had taken a while, but Michael and Selene agreed that it should be mandatory to carry one with you at all times.

The Stealth Shooters were quickly adapting to the new weapon with ease.

Now, Selene and Michael were in the break room.

"Hi, Damien," Selene greeted.

"Hi, good lookin'." Damien clammed up quick when he saw Michael sitting right there. Sheepishly, Damien amended, "and good lookin's lover."

Michael shook his head as if to say, "whatever", and continued to fidget with a gun from the century before. It was his first gun, and while he never used it as a weapon anymore, he kept it because it had sentimental value.

"So, guess what that Britney Spears is doin' these days," Damien said to Selene.

Selene chuckled. "Damien, you have to be the only immortal that actually still gives a shit about the human world's gossip."

Damien's grin lit up his face. "Comes wit' the territory of bein' the youngest immortal here, I guess." Damien shifted his weight to get into a more comfortable position. "So, answer the question. Take a guess."

Selene sighed. _Mind as well entertain the baby immortal,_ Selene decided. "Britney Spears the Seventh, or Britney Spears the Eighth?"

"The Eighth."

"Did she have another baby?"

"No."

"Did she do something to a current child?"

"No."

"Did she marry someone?"

"No."

"Well, what is it, then?"

"Well, get this: she checked into rehab – **_again_**."

Selene sat silent for a second. "How many times does that make it?"

"Twenty – the most **_ever_ **in SPEARS' history." Damien smiled to himself for keeping count. He liked celebrity gossip. "Guess the title of her newest song."

"**_Crazy (I Drive Me)_**?"

"No."

"**_Slave 4 Loon_**?"

Damien laughed. "No."

"I give up."

"(**_Oops!) I Did it Again_** – twentieth time this song has been done by her family."

Selene laughed. Michael's attention was finally diverted from his old memento at the sound of her laugh. To Damien, it was just a sound of happiness; but to Michael, it was the sweetest sound on Earth.

Marc poked his head in. "Derek says he wants to see you," he addressed Selene.

Selene got up and Michael started to follow her. "No," she stared right into his eyes, "no Michael, you stay. I'll go there myself." Before Michael could say another word or protest, Selene turned around and shut the door in his face. What had he done wrong?

"That was rude," Marc retorted.

"Subtlety doesn't work with him," Selene replied shortly.

When Selene and Marc reached Derek's office, Selene said, "Marc, could you give me and Derek some privacy?"

Marc bowed his head in respect and left Selene alone. Selene entered the office. Much like every other room in the Stealth Shooter's fortress, the walls were bare, and were void of color or vivid details. Derek's office had a simple large wooden desk with a futuristic computer on top of the surface, with a large white board scribbled with illegible marks to its side. There was a simple metal chair by the desk, and one raggedy recliner opposite the desk.

"Marc said you wanted to see me?"

"Uh huh." Marc was dressed in a white t-shirt and dark blue jeans. He had a denim jacket on and a pair of black sneakers on. "That old friend of yours called."

"You mean…?"

"Yeah. Says he's got an update and wants one from you. Wants to meet you in the same place, same time."

"Okay." Selene turned around, and right before she left, said, "You'll cover up for me, right?"

"Do humans breathe?" Selene took the answer as a "yes" and left.

Selene almost made it out without bumping into anyone, when Damien bumped into her. "Geez, where's the fire?"

"Sorry," Selene said hastily and kept walking.

Damien ran up to Selene and tried to keep up with her. "Where ya goin' so quick youse can't even spare a moment to talk to me?"

Selene ignored him, and kept walking.

"You cheatin' on Michael?"

Selene stopped short. "That's retarded, Amie."

"Yeah, I know. But it sure stopped ya dead in your tracks, didn't it?"

Selene shook her head impatiently and started to walk off again. Damien stopped her by grabbing her shoulder.

Selene slapped his hand away angrily. "Amie, stop it. I have somewhere to be."

Damien, satisfied to have gotten a rise out of her, backed off. "Be frosty, good-lookin'."

Selene finally got out of what felt like a prison sometimes. There were times when she yearned the old comfort she used to get from just driving her car around the city, before she was a big target for her own kind. Now, when she drove, she had to be careful about who saw her, if she was seen at all.

Selene got into her car and drove to the meeting point cautiously. The meeting point, in an abandoned warehouse by the water, was the same place she'd been going to meet her "old friend" for the last century-and-a-half. They would always meet at 3 in the morning, for some reason unknown to the both of them.

Selene pulled up and went inside, a bit surprised to find him already waiting for her.

"What's new?" He sounded tired, but then again this war had its toll on everyone involved, him and her especially.

Selene pulled out the FP out of her pocket. She handed it to him. His hand held it, testing its weight and feeling around to see its texture. "New weapon," Selene stated briefly.

"It's nice. Marc design it?"

"Yes."

He gave the FP back to Selene. "What's new with you," Selene asked. He never called a meeting just to see if she had an update; he trusted her enough to think that she'd call a meeting if she had something to share.

"Remember Pearl Harbor," he asked.

"The movie, or the event?"

He rolled his eyes, asking, "Now, why would I ask you about that horrible movie?"

"I dunno. I thought maybe you had some Hollywood connections and had a role available for me in a re-make… like I could play that nurse. Elders know I could do much better than the original actress. What was her name, again?"

He stomped his foot impatiently. "Fuck the movie and that stupid nurse! I don't give a shit about what her name is!" Selene flinched; he never cursed to an excess, and him doing it twice was almost unheard of.

"Right, sorry. What about Pearl Harbor?"

He sighed heavily; fatigue showed on his face. "Think about a huge bomb, Pearl-Harbor-destroying size. Now think that on your fortress."

"Tonight?"

"Tomorrow."

"So, if we evacuate…"

"No one would expect a thing from me. I have an alibi."

"Oh, really? What?"

"Exotic dancer."

Selene smiled. "Is that it?"

"Yeah. Bye. Safe evacuations."

Right before Selene left the warehouse, Selene turned around.

"Thanks, Kahn."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**I wanted to apologize if it seemed kind of weird that I cranked out a new story without putting an AN at the end... I've been really busy this week, so I just thought that now that I have two decent chapters I should put them up.**

**I want to thank all of the readers that read my last story and have started reading this one. Please put up a review; I'm open to any criticisms you may have.**

**I hope you've enjoyed what you've read so far.**

**KATEB819**


	4. Chapter 3

On the drive home, Selene couldn't help but think about a lot of things. Of course, the biggest thing was when the hell this damn war would end. It had been raging for way too long, in her opinion. The war had officially begun around the time she'd been turned. _My Elders, I'm over 750 years old!_ Selene almost swerved off the road at the thought of her age.

Another thing on her mind was Michael. They'd been together for the last century and a half, but it was basically more of a companionship thing than a physical thing. Of course, they'd have sex whenever one or both felt the urge. But she'd always felt like Michael had given her **_so_** much, and that she had given him nothing. She loved Michael, to the point where she couldn't articulate it, in fact. And that was the problem – she didn't know how to express love for another person. She had been dead inside, devoid of emotion for 600 years.

How the hell was she supposed to show affection again all of the sudden?

There was one thing, however, on her mind that truly scared her. The fact that the war had escalated to the point where bombs were being used sent shivers up and down her spine, chilling all the way to her soul. The war had never been nice, or fair, for that matter, but one side had never used bombs on the other. Back when the three Elders were still alive (and Lucian), the thought never entered either side's minds. _Maybe we were better off with the Elders and Lucian alive…_ Selene shook her head and was shocked that that had even come into her mind.

Her mind was now exposed to the truths of her existence, as opposed to the cloud and fog it was submerged in back when Viktor had lied to her about practically everything. Maybe the decisions were harder and there were more areas of gray than black and white, but at least **_she_** was the one with the power to decide now.

Selene pulled up to the fortress. It resembled Ordoghaz more than she was willing to admit, with the gloomy, gothic atmosphere. The building was built with bricks and covered by a thick wooden exterior. The wood was painted black, and the land the building rested on was surrounded by a towering metal fence, complete with an electric wire to fend off trespassers.

When Selene and Michael had first found the Lycans, they were living underground. Selene had the idea of re-building Ordoghaz, so for the first few months of the Immortal War II, the Stealth Shooters were stationed underground. After the re-building was finished, the SS moved into the new building, now called **Nueva Esperanza**.

Selene punched in the password that allowed access into Nueva Esperanza, 48191993, and the gate buzzed open. Selene drove through, then punched in another password, allowing the gate to close. _47261973_… Another buzzer sounded, and the gate closed.

Selene drove the car into the garage, put her key on her hook, and walked to Derek's office. He was still up, looking at the glowing monitor on his desk.

"How'd it go?"

Selene looked around to make sure she was the only one in the room. "We've got a problem." She settled in on the chair, trying awkwardly to get into a comfortable position. When she was in one, she continued, "According to Kahn, we're getting bombed – sometime tomorrow."

"Geez. Night or day?"

"I dunno. All I do know is that we've gotta evacuate – and fast."

"Where? Back to the underworld?"

Selene sat quietly, contemplating on what to do. "I have an idea," she said at last. "Call a meeting with Marc and Michael."

It was about ten minutes later when the four were assembled in the break room.

"What's the emergency," Marc asked groggily.

Unsure where to begin, Selene looked to Derek for assistance. "We've gotten a tip-off from a most reliable source," he began.

Given a thankful look to Derek, Selene continued, "…that we're going to be bombed sometime tomorrow."

Wide awake now, Marc asked, "Here?"

"No, we're all going to get bombed at that party next week," Derek declared sarcastically.

With a hurt look on his face, Marc mumbled, "Jus' askin'…"

"Yes, Marc; tomorrow, **_here_**, we are going to be bombed."

Michael finally spoke up. "So we have to evacuate." Without waiting for an answer, Michael asked, "Where?"

Selene spoke. "There's a place, not far from here. It's a deserted building a mile away."

"So why haven't you told us about it before," Marc asked.

"Because I promised the owner of it that I wouldn't use it unless I had to. And we've never had to."

"Well, who owns it?"

"The person who **_used_** to own it was Alexander Corvinus. I own it, now."

There was silence in the room. Finally, Michael spoke. "When did he tell you about this place?"

"He didn't; Samuel told me."

"Who is Samuel?"

"Samuel **_was_** Corvinus's right-hand man. He died at the hands – or claws and teeth, anyway – of William. Samuel told me on the way to William's prison. He said that not a mile from Ordoghaz was an abandoned building that Corvinus would use as a means to spy on us… or the vampires, anyway. He told me Corvinus wanted me to have it. Of course, Corvinus thought there'd be peace between the races now, so we'd need more room for the immortals. He didn't know – and we didn't either – that the American Coven would want to continue the war and would travel here to fight us."

No one spoke as this sunk in. "So we should begin the evacuation now?" It was Derek who spoke.

"Yes," Selene answered.

The next day and night was spent moving the Stealth Shooters into the new building. Right before the night was over, Selene hand-picked a group to follow her. She picked Derek, Marc and two other SS to follow her.

"What about me?" Michael walked up to Selene as the group was about to leave.

"You stay," Selene answered.

Michael grabbed Selene's arm to prevent her from leaving. He pulled her into a private corner. "Hey, what's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Don't give me that bullshit, Selene."

"It's not bullshit; I need someone I can trust to watch over the Stealth Shooters while I'm gone." She paused. "I may not be here, forever, Michael."

Michael let go of Selene's arm slowly. "Yeah, I know. But, I mean, it feels like you don't trust me."

Selene sighed. "I do. But there are some things that I **_do_** hide from you, and it's not because I don't trust you – it's because I don't want to have to worry about you because you know this information."

"Information like who your private informer is?"

"Yes. Not because he's dangerous, but because if the Death Dealers found out that they had a double-crosser, you'd be the first person they'd go to get the information from. But it's better if you don't know who it is." Selene looked at Derek, who was making an elaborate pantomime of "You're late" by looking at his watch, then tapping it as if to see if it was working.

"Now, Slappy the Clown over there is telling me we have to go." Selene turned and walked out the door, but stopped short. She pivoted on her right heel and walked back to Michael. She kissed him – a simple one, but one that let her feel the warmth of his lips against hers.

"Bye," she said briefly and left.

The team was hiding in the group of bushes across the way from the building. Luckily, the group Selene picked were all Lycans, so sunlight was not an issue. At about noontime, just when Selene was ready to take a quick nap and have Derek take over as primary watch, the building exploded.

First, the roof caved in, then the windows exploded outward. Glass flew everywhere, but Selene and her group were far enough to avoid any of the glass. The team watched in a mix of awe and horror as the building crumbled before their very eyes. Within minutes, the building was a pile of rubble lying where the once towering, proud building stood.

After a moment of silence, Selene said, "Let's go. There's nothing we can do now." She turned to go, and so did the rest of the team. The team all came in separate cars, so they all left in separate cars. Selene was the last to leave, looking over the rubble sentimentally. After taking a deep, calming breath, Selene got in her car and drove towards the building they now called Nueva Esperanza.

About half a mile later, a car drove up behind Selene. Immediately, she knew that it was a Death Dealer. The side windows were rolled up and covered with a thick foil; the windshield was also covered with a thick foil, with a small square left uncovered so the vampire driving could see outside. A thin piece of wood was attached to the top of this square, to prevent sunlight from going directly into the windshield.

The car sped up, and so did Selene. She passed Nueva Esperanza, for fear of the Death Dealers knowing the SS's new location.

Selene's car was now going way over 100 mph, and the other car still did not let up. Selene was now driving parallel to the Danube River. The car caught up to Selene and smashed into the rear of her car, sending her car spinning off the road and through the metal railing, into the ocean. The Death Dealer's car tumbled in after hers.

The Death Dealer jumped out of his car and into the ocean, looking for shelter from the sunlight under the pier. But Selene was not so lucky and sunk with her car under the water.

Worse, she was unconscious – the metal railing had went through the windshield and impaled Selene through her chest.

* * *

** plays JAWS music **

**Anyway, I'm glad if you liked what I did in the last chapter. I just thought a little humor could make this somewhat-stuffy-and-serious fic a little more enjoyable.**

**Please keep reading and submit a review! Criticisms welcome!**

**KATEB819**


	5. Chapter 4

Michael wanted to believe that Selene was going to be fine. In fact, he did – for about ten seconds.

He watched quietly as Selene drove away. Maybe she was only going to be a mile away, but he couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was going to happen.

He couldn't describe it, but he had developed a sixth sense when it came to Selene. There was one time when she went out on a mission, and he'd felt something was going to go wrong. And something did – the roof of the building she was in fell in and the beams almost crushed Selene. She would have died, had he not followed her and got her medical attention before it was too late.

There was another time, when Selene had went off, trying to persuade some more Lycans to join the SS. He had told her something was going to happen to her, but she didn't listen. He had managed to help her escape death once again by slowing her down with his protesting – the car she was going to drive had a bomb on it and blew up a few feet away from them.

There were countless other times when Michael had gotten these feelings, each scarier than the time before. He despised the feeling, but was grateful for it. Selene called it "intuition", but to Michael intuition meant to know something; these feelings didn't let Michael **_know_** something – he felt an emotion each time, as if he'd lost Selene already. It was a heart-breaking soul-wrenching head-splitting experience each time. After a while, Michael knew the feeling was **_that feeling_** without having to second-guess it. But Michael ACTING on this feeling was the problem.

Michael sat down a sighed for a long time. He sat back, trying to figure out what to do. If he followed them, he might alert the enemy. So what could he do?

He fell asleep, still wondering what to do. The only sign he needed was the sound of screeching tires outside. Michael poked his head out the door just in time to see Selene car, doing over 100 mph easy, chased by a black car. Michael recognized whose car it had to be right away. _Death Dealer!_

Without thinking, Michael ran to the garage, and within seconds, was on the road. In spite of following Selene's scent, all Michael had to do was follow the tire tracks. His heart rose in his throat when he saw that the tire tracks led off the road and into the Danube River. _Not again!_ Michael couldn't help but remember his first night with Selene.

He stepped on the brakes, and got out of his car. Not hesitating, he jumped into the water. He didn't even feel the frigid temperature of December water covering his body upon impact. He pushed against the powerful force of the water, until he saw Selene's car at the bottom of the river. He could feel bile rise in his throat as he saw a large part of the rail separating the road and the river in the windshield of the car. _No! By the Immortal Gods, no!_

He swam to the windshield, surprised to see the image in the car.

Selene was gone.

* * *

Michael's scent filled Selene's nose as she broke the surface. Her chest hurt like the devil where that damned rail had impaled her. Luckily, Corvinus's blood allowed her to simply wake up after a few seconds and pull the thing out of her chest. It hurt, but it was better than lying on the bottom of the river dying.

Selene stumbled under the pier. Just when she got a chance to rest, someone kicked her in the face. The kick sent her flying into a beam supporting the pier. She had the wind knocked out of her, and the person – presumably the damn vampire that chased her down and rammed into her – picked her up by the neck and punched her face, creating a small stream of blood to flow form her nose. Selene tripped the vampire, but the vampire grabbed her leg and pulled her down with him. Dazed, she could barely defend herself when he released a series of painful kicks to her face and sides.

Finally, after she could feel the vampire getting tired, she could feel Corvinus's blood coursing through her veins. Her eyes became an icy cobalt blue, and her fangs grew longer than they already were. She felt as if she was floating and like she could take on anything at anytime.

She flipped up, knocking over the startled vampire.

"Oh, so you were _**waiting** _for me to tire out, huh?"

She knew many of the Death Dealers nowadays liked to talk to throw off their opponent. Personally, she never liked talking herself. She simply connected a kick to his face, knocking him into the wooden staircase that led up to the pier.

She heard a slight splash from the water, and turned to see Michael rise from its depths. Distracted, the vampire took advantage to grab Selene head and hurl her into the staircase.

Angry, Selene grabbed the vampire's head, about to tear it from the rest of the body. She did – but split seconds before, she recognized the face. "Mason?"

The head came off as expected, and Selene dropped it, as if it were poisonous. "Mason?" Selene continued to repeat it quietly, as she bent down to pick up the severed head.

Michael walked up behind her. "Jesus Christ," he muttered when he saw the gaping wound on her chest. Ignoring him, she silently stared into the face of the dead vampire. No longer stating his name as a question, she stopped saying his name.

"Selene?"

She did not answer. She looked down at her wound, shocked to see that it was already healing. "I'm fine," she stated simply.

"Although," she said on their way to the car from the pier, "I may need a new car."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**No, I did not kill off Selene. I know that it was a little strange for me to kill off my favorite character, but I was just testing to waters to see if I was capable of writing a decent death scene for a major character. Anyway, I'm happy my reviewers thus far have enjoyed my story.**

**KATEB819  
**


	6. Chapter 5

"What the fuck is going on?" Selene's tone was icy, a reminder that while she may have gotten softer over the years, she could still make it so that Kahn had hell to pay.

"Selene—"

"Why the _fuck_ is – **_was_** Mason trying to kill me? What the HELL are you trying to pull?!"

Kahn took a deep breath. Selene finally calmed down after cursing some more.

Kahn was growing a bit impatient. "Are you done?" Selene glared into Kahn's eyes but said nothing. "Good, Selene."

Selene took in a deep breath, closed her eyes, then opened them, visually more calm. "What's going on, Kahn?"

"Selene, you have to realize that the vampires don't like you. And not just the American ones. Mason, namely, did not like you. Now, I'm using the past tense here, since you said he **_tried_** to kill you. I'm assuming it was a 'kill or be killed' situation?"

"He's dead," Selene stated apathetically.

Perhaps just as, if not more aloofly, Kahn said, "Well, **_someone_** had to die."

"But **_why_**? Why did he attack me **_tonight_**?"

"Because he found out. He found out about our secret meetings, and he was hardly happy about it. He ran out of the mansion, but I thought it was so he could think things out. It wasn't until you called a meeting and Mason neglected to show up by sunrise that I realized that Mason was the closest thing to one of Kraven's thugs a Death Dealer could be."

No one talked for the next few seconds. Finally, Selene spoke. "Did he tell anyone?"

"Not to my knowledge. But then, of course, the Death Dealers could be plotting a mutiny as we speak."

After another pause, Selene voiced a question that had been bothering her for a long time.

"**_Why_** you having this secret relationship with me, Kahn?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I have an answer; do you?"

"No. You're just going to have to trust me, Selene." After a pause, Kahn asked, "What's **_your_** answer?"

"Simple – I need something, **_something_** to hold on to from the past. Just something that will keep a fraction of my faith in what Viktor created." Selene's voice was dripping with a mix of anger, sullenness, and loneliness. Kahn felt guilty now, but couldn't tell her why.

"What Viktor created," Kahn said, "what Viktor created was an army of monsters that had no problem prosecute their princess, so long as he said so. What **_he_** created was a lie, a fantasy that he was a God and we were all his supporters."

Selene looked a little shocked. "You mean, like you?"

"I wasn't one of his supporters, Selene. I just needed a job. A meaning for living, I guess."

Kahn's eyes looked at the floor, and Kahn slowly walked out the door. "If you call a meeting and find I don't show," he stated glumly, "then that means that Mason **_did_** tell someone."

Kahn left, and after a brief moment, Selene did, too.

In spite of her best efforts to avoid looking at the pile of rubble, Selene had to stop for a moment to look it over. Shaking her head disapprovingly, Selene continued to Nueve Esperanza. She went straight to her room, and lied down on her bed.

"Where've you been?" Michael's voice made Selene jump. "Sorry, " he apologized, "didn't mean to scare you."

"Nah, it's fine. I guess SOMEONE's gotta keep me on my toes." Selene offered Michael a reassuring smile.

Michael chucked. "So, answer the question – where were you?"

Before Selene could answer, Damien walked in. "Guess who wants ta see ya," he said, faking impatience. When Selene reluctantly rolled off the bed, Damien said, "I'm startin ta think you an' him got somethin' goin' on."

Selene playfully shoved Damien on her way out. "Ooh, you like it that way, do you?" Damien grinned.

"Are you **_trying_** to drive Michael off?"

"It's my master plan. I'm going to wait until he goes off to war, dies, and then I'm gonna knock you up."

"Been watching _Pearl Harbor_ again, haven't you?"

"I **_could_** always see you with Josh Harnett," Damien said, jokingly.

Stooping down to his level, Selene said, "Shut **_up_**," the way teenage girls say it.

"Aw, com'on. Are you saying you don't just **_envy_** that, uh…" Damien paused, thoughtful. "What's that actress's name?"

"Do I look like **_I_** would know?" Selene's voice was filled with annoyance. Selene's voice became more soft. "Did Derek say what he wanted?"

"Nope; just that he wanted you."

They'd reached the office. Selene dismissed Damien. "Bye, Amie."

Selene smirked as she shut the door behind her.

She glanced around the office.

"Still don't trust me after all these years?" Derek was sitting on the only comfortable seat in his office.

"It's not that, it's just that I don't trust everyone else after all these years," Selene replied.

"Ah." Derek stood up, and gestured to her to take a seat. "So, how was the meeting?"

"Well, Kahn told me why Mason went after me. He found out."

"Found out about…?"

"…about my secret meetings with Kahn." Derek's face became alarmed, much different from the calm, cool, and collected Derek she was used to seeing.

"But I don't think he told anyone," Selene said.

"But you don't **_know_**," Derek said.

"No, I don't."

After a few more moments of talking, Selene left Derek's room and headed back to her room. She felt so tired, she merely collapsed on the couch in the main room, instead of collapsing on the bed in her bedroom.

Michael, hearing the muffled "thud" of Selene, went into the main room.

"Well, aren't you energetic today." Michael sat down on the available space on the couch.

Selene just laid there. He touched her cheek affectionately.

She stirred, looking straight into his eyes. "Hey."

He pushed a strand of stray hair from her eyes. "Hi, stranger."

She let out a tired groan.

He kissed her cheek. "You just going to sleep here?"

She closed her eyes again. "Sounds good to me."

"Aw, Selene. That couch is hardly as comfortable as our bed."

"Yeah, but the bed's too far away."

Michael laughed to himself quietly. Selene loved his laugh – it was so innocent and jolly and rich. "Okay, lazy-butt. I getcha."

Michael bent down and swooped Selene up from the couch.

"Oh, Michael! Come on, I'm too tired to fight you."

"Who said you had to fight?" Michael planted a kiss on Selene's lips. They were both giggling as Michael gently placed her on the bed.

It seemed, however, like the moment Selene's body touched the bed, Selene fell into a deep sleep.

Michael sat down on the bed, watching her sleep. _So peaceful,_ Michael thought. He took off her boots and stripped her down so that she was only wearing her pants and shirt. He tucked her in, wrapping her in a blanket and placing her head on a fluffy pillow.

He kissed her forehead, taking in her sweet scent as it gloriously entered his nostrils. He lied down on the bed next to her, and held her in a tight embrace. He whispered, "I love you Selene," and found that sleep came easy to him as well.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**So, to answer the question about Mason, there you guys go. The next chapter should be up soon. Keep reading and letting me know what you think.**

**KATEB819**


	7. Chapter 6

Selene looked so peaceful. She looked like she was drifting somewhere in a land of milk and honey. In fact, Michael woke up after the sun was high in the sky, and left Selene in her bed alone. He thought she looked so happy, but little did he know that what her mind was going through was far from happiness.

_Running for what seemed to be hours, young 19-year-old Selene collapsed on the forest ground. Damp and cold, Selene shivered as her lungs strived for air. _What were those things_? Selene was crying, sobbing, and wheezing._

_The sound of rustling leaves made her jump with a start. Paranoid or no, she knew she had to keep moving, keep living…_

_Running into the barn, she only hoped that her father was still alive. Maybe he would be her light in this dark tunnel…_

_But as fast as her hopes had grown, the light dimmed and then disappeared altogether. _

_---_

_Selene was sleeping. But oddly, this was an out-of-body experience. She could see herself, sleeping soundly. She was in bed by herself._

_But what was strange was that the image was in black-and-white, as if it were being watched on a television screen. Strangely enough, she _knew_ that she was being watched. This notion sent shivers traveling up and down Selene's spine, causing the Selene that Selene was seeing to shiver, in spite of her being tucked in the covers._

_---_

_Pain; death; suffering. Misery; loss; grief. Sorrow; anguish; grief._

_All these feelings rushed into Selene, grabbing her heart and clenching it tightly. Her throat felt like it was closing up, filled with infinite tears. She felt like crying, screaming, sobbing, shaking, and just wanted this overwhelming tide of feelings to _stop_. But it wouldn't; it came all at once, and kept coming in stronger waves._

_She looked down to get a clue as to what could be causing the onrush of emotions._

_She saw Michael's face, upturned and pale. It was lifeless, and Selene finally collapsed on top of the dead body, sobbing for what felt like an eternity._

Selene jerked up, sweating, wet with what she thought was sweat, but it turned out to be tears.

"Selene? Selene, what is it?" Michael eyes were looking into hers, filled with worry and confusion.

Selene was speechless. Her eyes were stinging with tears, which were threatening to come out. Her cheeks were wet, and she was still shaking, her breathing ragged and sharp.

"Selene, what happened?" When she didn't answer, Michael hugged Selene tightly, repeating, "It's okay, I'm here," over and over. Finally, her breathing slowed, her sobbing stopped, her cheeks dried, as well as her tears.

Michael left and returned shortly afterward with a glass of warm cloned blood for her to drink.

After a long sip, Selene said, "It was a dream – a few of them, actually."

"What was it about?" He shifted positions to face her. "I mean, it takes _a lot_ to make you cry."

"Well, the first one was about the night my family was killed," Selene answer, "which wasn't so bad. In fact, it was probably the best one I had of the three. The next one was of me, now. I was… am… being watched."

"Someone's bugged the room?" Michael's tone was alarmed.

"I… I don't know," Selene confessed. She continued, "But the _worst_ one… was of you…" Selene struggled to finish her sentence, "…dead."

"Me? Dead?"

"Yeah. And, it felt like it was sometime in the future, but the near future."

Selene's eyes lowered to the floor to avoid Michael's eyes. Michael tilted Selene's chin up so he could look into her eyes. "Hey, I'm not dead yet. Stop treating me like I am." He sighed, and put Selene's head on his shoulder. "We'll figure this out, okay? And even if something _does_ happen to me—"

"No, no, no! I don't want to hear it—"

"**_IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME_**, you'll carry on. You're strong that way, Selene." He smirked. "But only **_if_** something happens to me."

That night, Selene took a drive to clear her head. Michael joined her, and was fine with a silent car trip – in fact, all of his car trips with her were spent the same way.

After about an hour, however, Selene found that she'd been driving toward a destination. Within ten minutes of this revelation, Selene had reached it.

"Where… where are we?" Michael's confusion was clear in his voice.

"Uh… didn't plan it out, but we're at Michelle's." Even Selene was confused as to why – or how – she had picked this as her destination.

"Michelle?"

"Yes, Michelle. She was the vampires' psychic back in the 17th century. But then that whole witch thing spread to Europe, and we hid her in a small building to keep her from being killed."

"Was she a _real_ psychic?"

"Yes, as far as we could tell. She was always on-the-spot, but after she started living in the building, she started helping out the Lycans. When both sides found out she was a two-face, we both shunned her. Haven't heard from her since."

"And you think she can help?"

"I don't know what I think," Selene stated glumly. "But it's worth a try."

Selene and Michael knocked on the door, and a grumpy, raspy voice boomed from inside. "Who the fuck is it?"

"It's Selene," Selene called.

"Well, then what the fuck are you waiting for? Get your stupid ass in here, and bring that piece of shit you call your boyfriend in with you!"

Selene opened the door slowly. There was on large room that the door opened to, with one staircase leading to a higher floor. There was a large fireplace in the corner of the room, with a couch in front of it.

"How do ya like it?"

Selene stepped inside, examining the room. "It's warm and homey."

"That's good," Michelle said. She stepped up to greet Selene. She was taken aback by how attractive Michelle looked. While she had never been outright ugly, Michelle was never stunning. But Michelle looked like she weighed at most 100 pounds; she had flowing brown hair that was shoulder length; her legs were barely covered by a short black skirt; she wore a black sleeveless shirt, and wore black heels. She wore minimal make-up, but she looked good without an excess amount.

"So you want to know how you can save this guy," Michelle said. She looked him over, and grinned. "He's cute," she said, drawing out the last word.

"You don't waste any time, do you?"

"Hardly, hon'. Would you like me to?"

"No. Well, what can you tell me Michelle?"

"How much would you be willing to risk?"

"How much would I have to?"

"Would you be willing to risk the future of the war?"

"What?"

"If you save him, it will cost you the war. But if you let him die, the war is yours for sure."

"You mean we have to pick?"

"No, sweetheart. _You_ have to pick. Michael or the future, one or the other. What did you think Corvinus meant when he said that you'd become the future? It all lies in your hands, babe."

"But… I can't make that decision."

Impatient, Michelle snapped, "Look, I ain't a fuckin' therapist. I tol' ya what you need to know; the rest is up to you." Michelle took a deep breath to regain composure. "Look, it ain't a hard decision, Selene. You can either end this war, or keep it going. You can either keep your love, or kill him. Pick one, and for Christ's sake, make it soon. The immortal world is waitin' on you – or will be."

Having heard enough, Selene turned around and left, Michael on her heels.

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to think and get back to you on that." Selene walked faster, trying to get in the car quickly.

"Fuck that!" Michael grabbed Selene angrily by the arm and turned her around to face him. "This is about whether or not **_I_** get to die! I should have a say in the matter!"

Selene stared into his eyes, unnerving Michael, and forcing him to let go of her.

"I understand. But we don't know the circumstances, Michael. You may not be able to make the decision."

They got into the car, and Michael said during the ride back, "If I had to pick, I'd say let me die and end this damn war."

Selene pretended she didn't hear him.

**

* * *

**

** AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**I know this chapter was a bit lacking in humor, but I'm working on adding some in on the next chapter. As for the fate of Michael, I'm leaving that as an enigma for a while... (cackles)**

KATEB819


	8. Chapter 7

Michael got out of the car. He slammed the car door shut. A split second after that, she pulled away, and drove right back out of the gates of Nueve Esperanza. Shocked, Michael had no choice but enter the mansion, since he didn't know where the hell she drove off to.

"Hey," Damien called after Michael as Michael went towards his and Selene's room.

"What?" Michael felt drained and grumpy; he was **_not_** in the mood for the closest thing Selene had to a boy-toy.

"Where's the missus?"

"Out." Michael was growing impatient.

"More specific?"

Michael practically shouted. "I don't know. Fuck, for all I know, she's out killing herself. And I wouldn't be able to stop it!" Michael was breathing heavy now. "I mean, that's just it, isn't it? That's all I am, all I've ever been – HELPLESS! Selene's always been the strong one, and now she needs support and help, and what do I do? I pressure more! I just… I just…" Michael was now breathing so hard he was flinching from the pain.

"Jeez, Michael! Calm down, man!" Damien was visibly frightened.

Michael did as he was told. He took deep breaths and closed his eyes.

After a short moment, Michael opened his eyes.

"Good," Damien said, obviously relieved. "The only thing I got out of what you said is that you don't know where she is."

"Yeah."

After a moment, Damien said, "I think I know where she went." Before Michael could ask where, Damien turned around and left.

She liked the sounds of the rain. The pitter-pattering of the rain calmed Selene down. She never told anyone but Damien this and why. When she was little, her father used to take young Selene outside during the heaviest rain storms. Her mother would complain, but as the man of the house, his word was law.

"The rain calms me, Selene," her father told her when she was but three.

"But, father, mother says it can make me sick if I stay out."

Her father chuckled. Like Michael's, it was jolly and rich. "Your mother does not understand it. She has never listened to the rain." Young Selene was confused as to why anyone would listen to the rain, when it was much more fun to play inside the house, warm and dry.

One night, when the rain was coming down hard and endlessly, Selene and her father went outside. At first, Selene was frightened she would get sick, but she dared not to voice them to her father.

She stood there next to him in silence. At first, she found that this was a dreary thing, but finally she had no choice but to listen to the rain. She did not feel the water trickle down her skin, did not feel cold or clammy or at all unpleasant. She felt at peace; she felt happy.

From then on, in any rainstorm, Selene and her father went out to experience the sound of rain together, while her sister and mother were inside, ignorantly warm and dry.

Even after her father died, Selene continued to listen to the rain when she could.

"Listening to the rain, Selene?"

Selene was disturbed from her peaceful moment by Damien's voice. "Yeah," she answered absent-mindedly.

"I thought you'd be here," Damien said, "This is the most remote area in the city, and the only building that the Stealth Shooters own."

"You know me too well," Selene said, now directing her attention to him. "Did you tell Michael where I am?"

"No." Damien paused, taking a few steps towards Selene. "What's going on?"

Selene hesitated, debating on whether or not to tell Damien.

"Amie, would you prefer life with or without war?"

"If I had to pick, war. But I'd rather be on the winning side."

"And if you were on the losing side?"

"I wouldn't be on it for long." Damien smiled, eventually forcing Selene to smile, too. "Why do you ask, Selene?"

"Let's just say I might need to that decide soon," Selene said.

"And Michael is somehow involved?"

Selene didn't say anything, which said something by itself.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it. Let's change the subject."

"Okay," Damien said, getting the message. "Let's try to figure out the name of that stupid actress in _Pearl Harbor_," Damien suggested.

Selene rolled her eyes. "**_That_** dumb tart?" Damien nodded. "I don't know her name, but I know that she's some Brit that was in retarded American movies like _Serendipity _and_ The Aviator_. She was also in some pathetic vampire movie where she's the lead actress, where she runs around in leather. How retarded is that?"

Damien had to comment. "But **_you_** wear leather all the time."

"Yeah, well, I'm a **_real_** vampire. I mean, that actress – whatever her name is – runs around in like, five-inch heels and in a suit that's made for someone that is like, 40-pounds. And I don't know **_who_** she thinks she's kidding with those stupid-ass fangs."

"What movie is this?"

Selene paused. "I don't remember."

"All I know is that her acting was God-awful in that movie. Totally B-rated, the movie, the acting, and the stupid ugly director, too."

Selene didn't say anything after that, and neither did Damien, for a long time. Finally, when Selene spoke, it seemed to disrupt the quiet in the room immensely.

"What was Michael doing when you left?" As if on cue, Selene's cell phone rang. Selene picked it up and read the screen to see who was calling her. "It's Michael," Selene said. She picked up.

"Hello, Michael… Yeah, it's me, Selene… no, I'm fine, I'm here with Damien… Did you check the– there was a camera?" Selene was relatively mellow up until her last sentence. Then her tone became panicked and terrified. Damien suddenly jerked up in response to the tone of her voice. Selene continued with her side of the conversation, "Can you guys tell where it's being fed to? Well, **_keep_** working on it." With an annoyed sigh, Selene slammed her phone shut, shoved it roughly in her pocket, wrinkling her brow in a mixture of confusion and worry.

"Something wrong?" Damien was feeling infected by Selene's gloomy mood.

"Yeah," Selene said, rubbing her eyes tiredly. "Someone's bugged my room, and we don't know who."

Selene didn't know that right outside of town, in the Death Dealers' fortress, Kahn was watching the camera that was watching Michael search frantically for answers.

"Fucker," Kahn cursed.

* * *

**A/N:**

**I apologize that it took me so friggin' long to get this chapter up... life's been a hassle lately.**

**Anyway, further apologies to the Kahn-fans out there for making Kahn a bad guy in this one. Just thought it'd be a good thing to try out for this story.**

**KATEB819**


	9. Chapter 8

Damien was driving. Selene had protested, said that driving helped get her mind off of things.

"That's the problem," Damien noted. "I've heard about the first time you drove at night with Michael."

Other than that, the car ride was spent in silence half of the way. Eventually, Damien tried to break the silence.

"Guess who my favorite actress is," Damien asked.

"That woman in _Pearl Harbor_?"

"Naw, but she's a close second," Damien said, in an as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

"Who?" Selene clearly had no intention of playing this game.

Sensing this, Damien just gave her the answer. "Frances McDormand."

"Who," Selene asked, repeating what she'd just said.

"Are you kidding?" Damien asked, seemingly shocked that Selene had never heard of her.

"No."

Sighing, Damien pulled over. He pulled out his wallet and pulled out a picture of Frances McDormand. He showed it to Selene.

Selene glanced at the picture. "Wow, she's hot," Selene said.

Damien smiled. "Man, you've gotta be the only woman who'd say that to a guy."

Selene smiled. "But she is," Selene said.

Suddenly, there was a rapping at the passenger window. It was Kahn.

Selene rolled down her window. "Kahn?"

Kahn nodded. "I need to talk to you," he replied urgently.

Damien said coldly, "Well, she doesn't have to, Blood."

Selene gave him a reassuring look. "It's fine, Amie."

"But—"

Selene silenced him. "I'll be right back."

"No," Kahn said, "no, she won't. It might take a while. I think you could just leave."

Selene opened the car door and began to get out.

"Wait," Damien cried. "I mean, how did the guy even know we were here?"

Kahn answered curtly, impatiently trying to get Selene from the car. "I saw you guys parked here, and I **_need_** to talk to Selene now, so I thought it'd be better than calling and arranging a meeting."

"I don't know, Selene. There's something about this blood I don't trust."

"Look," Selene said, growing impatient, "I've known Kahn all my immortal life. He can be trusted."

Finally backing off, Damien muttered, "Fine."

Relieved, Selene got out of the car and slammed the car door shut, and watched as Damien pulled away.

"Your friend's a bit paranoid, huh?" Kahn smirked.

"You can ever be too careful, I guess," Selene replied darkly.

"Ah, how true that is." Kahn turned around, and walked away. "Follow me," he commanded.

A bit hesitantly, Selene followed Kahn. "Where are we going?"

Kahn chuckled. "Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do," Selene replied, "But I'd still like to know where you're leading me."

"A meeting place, where we know we won't be watched."

"Oh."

They walked for what felt like an eternity and a day, but in reality was for about 20 minutes, until hey reached a cluster of abandoned warehouses. Kahn opened the door to one, and ushered Selene inside.

When Kahn closed the door to join her, Kahn turned on the light.

"Well, we're here," Selene said, sizing the place up.

"Yeah, we're here." Something about Kahn's face, its enigmatic feeling and uncanny features.

"Kahn, what—"

"Tell me, Selene, " Kahn interrupted. "You've known me for what? 750 years?"

"At least."

"And you've always known me to do what is best for my race, have you not?"

"Yes, that's why you agreed to work with me."

"Yes, but imagine how I felt when Michelle contacted me to tell me of her new visitor. And she told me that you would have to pick between the war's end and Michael. Tell me, which will you pick?"

"Kahn—"

"You'd pick Michael, wouldn't you? Wouldn't you?"

"Kahn, it isn't that simple."

Kahn screamed in her face, scaring her. "THEN MAKE IT SIMPLE!"

Selene tried to soften her voice, hoping it would calm him down. "Kahn…"

Kahn did calm down, too fast for Selene's comfort. "Let me make it simple," he said soothingly. "Let me make it simple," Kahn repeated.

"Bring him out," Kahn commanded to what seemed like no one.

But there was someone. He was a vampire, who looked familiar.

"Duncan?" Selene said. She realized it was him, the vampire who'd worked in the security booth at the destroyed Ordoghaz when Selene had last seen it.

Duncan was dragging someone.

It was Michael, bound and gagged.

* * *

Damien was **_not_** happy. He never liked bloods; Selene was the only exception. Even the bloods that were either neutral or supposedly on their side were not trusted by Damien. Their side had been burned by traitors more than once, and Damien was hardly forgiving of their race.

"Damn bloods," Damien cursed to himself. Even if Selene **_had_** known that blood for her whole immortal life, Damien knew damn well that the possibility of a back-stabbing occurring never went away. Still, Selene appeared to trust him, and Damien trusted Selene's instincts. Ever since he had met her, her instincts had never been wrong – but did that go the same as her instincts **before** he met her?

Damien's cell phone rang, wrenching him from his thoughts. It was Derek, Selene's right-hand man. He picked up.

"Yeah?"

"Damien? It's me, Derek," said the voice on the other line. The tone was clearly urgent and worried.

"What's wrong?"

"Are you with Selene?"

"No, just dropped her off."

"With who?"

"Some black blood she said she knew for a long time." Damien heard Derek curse on the other end.

"A black guy?"

"Yeah," Damien answered, "Yeah, a black guy. You know who he is?"

"Amie," Derek changed the subject, his tone becoming gloomy. "Amie, Michael's missing."

Damien thought he was hearing things. "What did you say?"

"You heard me, dammit. Michael's missing. That black guy you just saw with Selene? He kidnapped Michael." Damien was quiet, trying to process this. "He took Michael," Derek said quietly, "And the bastard is now with Selene," he muttered. "Did you see where they went?"

"No, I didn't," Damien said regretfully.

Derek cursed again. Then there was dead silence, and Damien could heard Derek take a deep breath to calm down. "Okay," he finally said. "Okay, I know that they usually meet in an abandoned warehouse. And they're usually near the water, near the river."

"Wait, she's been meeting this blood secretly? For how long?"

"150 years."

"Damn!"

"Yeah, but let's not worry about that, now. We've gotta figure out—"

"Follow her scent."

"What?"

Damien repeated, "Follow her scent." He suddenly made a U-turn and went back the way he had come. "It's not far where I dropped her off."

"The scent's probably faded by now," Derek said pessimistically.

"I have the best nose of the Stealth Shooters. You know that."

"You think it's that good?"

"Look, I'll call you if and when I find it. Just find my car's location via the tracking device, and be ready to back me up."

"Okay."

The phone call ended.

* * *

Selene couldn't believe her eyes. How could Kahn, the only one she'd trusted all this time, betray her?

"Pick one."

"What?" Selene wasn't sure what he wanted.

"Pick one. I'll kill Michael, or I'll kill you."

* * *

**A/N:**

**I realize it took me a while to get it up. I had a bad case of Writer's Block, it's never happened to me before. I couldn't phrase anything for my life. It also didn't help that I had no time to write...**

**Anyway, hope you had a nice time reading this chapter.**

**KATEB819  
**


	10. Chapter 9

"Me… or Michael." Selene's voice was unwavering.

"Yes." Kahn joined Duncan's side. "Whichever one dies, the Stealth Shooters will get a heavy blow."

"Kahn, why are you doing this?"

Kahn chuckled. "I told you. I do what is best for MY race."

"You're just like Viktor," Selene spat out.

"Oh, no. I didn't kill anyone for the cause."

"But you'll have others kill."

"Viktor didn't have the imagination for that," Kahn bragged.

"No, he didn't," she agreed. "But he was still able to keep me in his grasp for six centuries."

"Well," Kahn said soothingly, "Maybe you're just too fucking stupid."

Selene felt the instinct to snap Kahn's neck, but she knew Duncan would kill Michael immediately afterwards.

"Tell me Kahn, what makes you think this plan will work?"

"My plan's worked so far. What's to make me think that it won't keep working?"

"Has it ever occurred to you what would happen if—"

"Has it ever occurred to YOU what would happen if my plan doesn't work," Kahn interrupted sharply. "It's a lose-lose situation for you!" When Selene shot Kahn a confused look, Kahn elaborated. "Ever seen _Van Helsing_? The vampire in the beginning… Marishka? – is killed and the other two vampires get more blood-thirsty. Did you really think that wouldn't happen here?"

"You think that the Death Dealers would get motivated."

"You know the Death Dealers – You know that revenge can be a damn strong motivation. Elders know that it drove **_you_** for six centuries."

Selene couldn't think of anything to say. She had to admit that thee plan was pretty fool-proof… except that he underestimated her. He thought of her as the weaker vampire she once was, not the immensely powerful Hybrid-like being she was.

Michael slowly lifted his head. Hoarsely, he croaked, "Selene… kill me."

Selene was shocked. Did Michael think she couldn't defeat Kahn and Duncan?

"Michael…" Selene couldn't form her emotions into words.

"Selene…" Michael said softly, almost whispering, "If you don't, then the war could go dramatically in their favor."

Even though Selene knew he was right, she felt an instinct to go against what Michael said. And she always went with her instincts, whether or not it proved to be the wrong move.

Duncan punched Michael square in the jaw. "Shut up, you piece of shit."

Kahn shot Duncan a look. "He was helping our cause, Duncan."

"Oh." Duncan looked sheepish.

Selene took the opportunity to punch Kahn on the nose, causing a thin stream of blood to come from his nostrils. Kahn groaned in pain and sank to the floor, and Selene ran over to Michael. She kneed Duncan on his private parts, resulting in a loud groan and Duncan passing out. She went straight for Michael.

Suddenly, there was a sharp pain in her neck. She reached to touch a long dart sticking out from her neck. Selene was woozy and felt like her body was heavier than she could bear. Her eyelids were closing against her will, and she felt her breathing slow.

Then all she was in was black.

She woke up in a body that felt like she had been ran over by a truck a few times. Her whole body was throbbing and she felt like everything was just sagging.

She opened her eyes slowly, and took in the scene. She was in a moldy, damp area; she was chained to a concrete wall, and the only illumination in the room (cellar?) was a dim light bulb on the ceiling.

She moaned softly as she lifted her head, which seemed to weight over thrice as much as it had before.

"Selene?" It was Michael's voice, only it came in a whisper that sounded tired, at best.

"Yeah." Selene found her voice wasn't much better – it came out as a croak.

"Jesus Christ – are you okay?"

Selene glanced around. "Where are you?"

"Across the room." Selene squinted, and could make out a vague shape that resembled Michael.

"Oh." Selene leaned her head back, only to lean the spot where the dart had penetrated her neck. It was still extremely sore, so Selene gasped in pain. She quickly stopped leaning her head against the wall. "How long have I been out?"

"Long enough for me to get one handcuff chain loose." Selene couldn't see it, but she was sure Michael was grinning.

"Can you get the other one off?"

"Yeah—"

Suddenly there were footsteps at the top of the stairs that were near Michael. Michael quickly stopped speaking.

"Ah. So Selene's finally up." Kahn stalked down the stairs, and paused at the bottom. For one fearful moment, Selene feared Kahn would see that Michael had gotten one handcuff free, but Kahn turned to face Selene. At the center of the room, Kahn pulled a chain, which illuminated the room with lights. Selene squinted against the sudden light. Kahn grinned, which frightened Selene more than she was willing to admit. "Thought I'd OD-ed you there for a while."

Selene glared coldly into Kahn's eyes. "You fucking traitor."

Kahn viciously backhanded Selene across the face. In spite of the burning she now felt in her cheek, she turned her head back and leveled him with her glare. "How sad it is that it took me being chained to a wall for you to be able to raise a hand against me like this."

Kahn pulled a sharp knife from his pocket. She stared at him with a neutral mask. Angered by her apathetic expression, Kahn abruptly stuck it in her shoulder. Selene bit her lip to keep from screaming.

Over Kahn's shoulder, Selene could see Michael quietly struggling to free his other hand from its handcuff. His eyes met hers, and his eyes were filled with worry.

Kahn sadistically twisted the knife and pushed it in deeper. Selene gasped from the unexpected pain. Satisfied, Kahn pulled the knife from her shoulder.

"Watch your mouth, Selene. I don't think that Viktor would've taken kindly to you speaking such filth."

"Viktor's dead. You'll be dead soon, too." Selene's neutral features betrayed no hint of when she was really feeling or thinking.

Visibly infuriated by her lack of emotion, Kahn once again struck with his knife. This time, however, it was in her palm. Once again, Selene suppressed a pained gasp. Kahn withdrew the knife from Selene's right palm and immediately stuck it into the left one.

Unable to brace herself against the pain, Selene let all of her pent-up pain in one shriek. Proud of his small accomplishment, Kahn left the knife in Selene's palm. Selene slowly glanced over Kahn's shoulder; Michael was furiously working on freeing himself from his torture of watching the woman he loved in pain and being helpless to stop it.

Asking the question that had preyed her mind for a while, she asked, "Why don't you just kill Michael? You don't need my permission."

"Well, see that's the thing. If I kill him, we all know that you'd do what the Death Dealers would do if I died."

"So why not kill me?"

"And how would the Stealth Shooters react?" Selene became quiet. "At first, I considered this. But dammit, Derek and Damien and Marc would take over and would probably beat the crap outta my Death Dealers. What to do, what to do?"

With a bored look on his face, Kahn twisted the knife in Selene's palm, 90 degrees, then waited a few seconds, then twisted it another 90 degrees. Each time, Selene did not show any signs of pain. After the knife had been twisted 180 degrees, Selene glanced hopefully over Kahn's shoulder.

Michael had gotten himself freed!

Michael easily got his legs, which were not bound in chains but rope, freed. He ran up to Kahn, and knocked him out. He was about to snap his neck, when Selene shouted, "Wait! Stop!"

"Why?"

"Just… wait. We don't know what the repercussions may be, yet."

Giving in, Michael stepped over Kahn's unconscious body to get to Selene. He cautiously pulled the knife from Selene's palm, although she was tempted to tell him not to bother, since the damn knife had been pulled out of her with no mercy several times already. He attempted to rip the chains holding Selene to the wall in two, but found that he'd used all of his energy already in getting himself free.

"See if Kahn has the keys on him," Selene told Michael.

Michael went to search, when heavy footsteps were heard above.

"Oh, shit," Selene cursed. "Someone must've either heard us, or…" Selene glanced around the room, only to spot what she was HOPING was not there. "…or someone saw us."

When Michael gave her a puzzled look, Selene indicated with a nod of her head. "Camera."

Before Michael could do anything else, a rush of men rushed down the stairs, all armed with arms of some sort or another. There were at least a dozen of them.

"We found them," one of the men spoke into a walkie-talkie.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Finally finished this chapter...**

**So, hope you enjoyed it. Another chapter should be coming out soon (crosses fingers)**

**KATEB819**


	11. Chapter 10

Selene didn't know what to do, what to say. Neither did Michael, at first. At last, Michael spoke.

"What took you guys so long?"

Derek stepped forward. "Let's get Selene outta here. The damn Death Dealers'll be down here any moment."

"I'm out of energy," Michael confessed. "I can't rip the chains open."

Marc spoke. "The only one strong enough to break chains that thick other than Michael would be Selene."

"Why not just use a gun," Damien suggested.

"Because one of our guns, swords, or FPs could take off her hand," Marc answered.

"I'm a little groggy," Selene said. "I don't think I have the energy, either."

Damien came rushing up from the back of the room. "Have some blood," he suggested. Damien brought out something that looked like a kazoo, and placed it in Selene's mouth. He also handed one to Michael. Selene sucked on the device, and a spray of blood entered her mouth. She swallowed it, and became visibly more energetic.

With next to no effort, Selene broke free of her chains. Her knife wounds began to heal. Selene felt much better and more alert. She assumed the role of leader.

"I'll lead us out of here. Michael, watch our backs behind us. Keep a small team with you."

"Yes, Selene."

"Thanks, guys," Selene said to the dozen men.

"No problemo," Damien chimed in.

Selene started to head upstairs, when Kahn suddenly sprang up from the ground.

With her back facing him, Selene's instincts told her to turn around, or dodge whatever was coming next. Before she could do so, however, Kahn picked up the knife from the floor, and hurled it at Selene's chest.

She spun to the right, so instead of the knife lodging itself within her breast, it cut through her arm.

Her arm landed right next to her foot.

Screaming in agony, Selene fell to the ground.

Acting in a reflex, Michael pulled his Fate Plate from his pocket and activated it within seconds. Without thinking, Michael threw it like a Frisbee at Kahn's throat. His head came flying off, and landed on the ground with a grotesque wet sound.

With that at an end, Michael dropped to Selene's aid.

"It's not that bad," Selene said shakily. Where her arm had been severed, halfway between her elbow and shoulder, was now bleeding severely.

"Selene…" Michael took off his jacket and began wrapping around the stump. He turned around and began shouting orders. "Everyone, go outside and begin clearing a path of exit!"

"Michael—"

Michael interrupted Damien. "Get your fucking asses outside and prepare our leave!"

Clearly dismissed, everyone left the room, walking quietly back up the stairs, weapons ready.

Michael was now applying pressure to Selene's arm, trying to stop the bleeding.

"We should get you some more blood…"

"There isn't any," Selene said gloomily. "Damien's the only one that brings them, and he usually only brings the one."

"Shit," Michael cursed. The bleeding finally stopped. "We should get outta here."

Selene rose to her feet slowly. Then, she saw a figure standing in the shadow. She immediately knew who it was.

"Duncan."

The figure stepped into direct light. "Selene." He grinned, and it looked so similar to Kahn's that it was creepier than Kahn's. "You seem a bit," Duncan indicated Selene's severed arm, "less handier than when I last saw you."

Michael went to tackle Duncan, but Duncan put his palm up and touched Michael's chest. There was a sudden electric crackle, and Michael collapsed on the floor. Selene dropped to Michael's side, but he was fine – unconscious, but fine.

Duncan raised his palm again, and for one fearful moment, Selene thought he'd do the same to her as he did to Michael, but he appeared to skip this choice entirely.

"Taser, fun-sized." He looked like a kid in a candy store, smiling and content.

On instinct, Selene swooped up the Fate Plate, activated it, and spun it at Duncan. It struck his waist, and severed his legs from the rest of his body. Then Selene removed the FP from Duncan's waist. But he was not dead.

He reached out while Selene was still crouched, and squeezed her arm stump, causing a gasp to escape from Selene's lips.

Once again, Selene activated the FP and slashed the blade through Duncan's throat, and his head slid off with a surprised expression on its lifeless face.

"Taser, fun-sized," Selene said.

Michael stirred, and Selene dropped the FP and went to his side. He groaned.

"What happened?"

"Playing some head games," Selene answered, nodding in Duncan's body's direction. Michael chuckled, and got up.

The both of them finally went up the stairs.

When the reached the top, Selene stopped. "Wait," she said. She turned around, went back down the stairs, and picked up her severed arm.

"It's too late to reattach it," Michael said quietly.

"Yeah, I know," Selene said just as quietly. She rolled up the sleeve on the arm, and revealed was a knife strapped to the arm. She removed the knife, dropped the arm, rolled up the sleeve on the remaining arm, and slid the knife into a strap already on the arm. She bent over and picked up the FP and placed it in her pocket.

"Dangerous woman," Michael remarked as Selene started back up the stairs.

"Oh, shut up," Selene said playfully.

"Make me," he responded.

"If we ever get out of here, I will." Selene pecked Michael on the cheek and led him out of the room.

It was chaos.

There was blood painted all over the walls, and echoed screaming was so horrible that it didn't even sound demonic. It all seemed like a scene from some horror movie.

Bodies were being thrown aside carelessly, and body parts that Selene didn't even know existed were covering the floor more than there was grass on a football field.

But she realized something that brought a smile to her face; most of these casualties were vampires – Death Dealers – not Stealth Shooters. Michael must have realized the same, because he said, "Looks like we trained them well."

"Yeah," Selene said, her voice raised to be heard. Damien came rushing out of the pandemonium and grabbed Selene's good arm.

"Derek and Marc are holding down the fort. Derek's already got a team of five outside; Marc's got another 4 watching their back and making sure that there's a path cleared for us. Let's go." Selene nodded her comprehension, and glanced as Michael did the same.

They all rushed out of the turmoil. Selene tried to block out the gruesome deaths and pain that she saw, but a few times she saw a Death Dealer she'd known back in the day being slaughtered. What scared her more was that she had no sympathy for them.

Damien grabbed a Stealth Shooter, who Selene realized was Marc. "Gather the men; let's go!" March nodded, signaled the command to leave, and followed Michael, Selene, and Damien on their way out.

Outside, it was raining. And more chaos.

"What happened?" Damien asked Derek.

"Their reinforcements came," Derek answered.

"Can we take them?" Selene asked to no one in particular.

"No," Marc answered.

"Then let's go," Michael offered.

Derek looked from face to face, and everyone nodded their consent. Derek pointed his head to the sky, and roared – literally – "Retreat!"

The sound of Death Dealers cheering in triumph could be heard as the Stealth Shooters ran away.

When they were a safe distance away, everyone stopped moving and stopped to rest.

"Dammit," Marc cursed.

"We had the upper hand!" Derek screamed.

Michael sighed. "What do you think, Selene?"

Selene didn't say anything, for she was staring at the sky, letting the rain drip down her face and seep into her clothing. She was smiling, because even though the sky was filled with dark, grey clouds, there was one thing that she needed to see.

Among the heavy, dreary clouds was one ray of sunlight.

* * *

**A/N:**

** Phew I actually got this one up in less than a week! XD**

**This is the last chapter of this 'fic, but I will be putting up an Epilogue soon (hopefully!). If you're interested in me attempting to write a sequel, lemme know!**

**KATEB819**


	12. Epilogue

* * *

_ Fallen angels at my feet  
Whispered voices at my ear  
Death before my eyes  
Lying next to me I fear  
She beckons me  
Shall I give in  
Upon my end shall I begin  
Forsaking all I've fallen for  
I rise to meet the end_

**_- Evanescence_**

* * *

It's been fifty years since my run-in with Kahn. Fifty years trying to gain **_some_** ground on the Death Dealers. But ever since that night, ever since that victory, the Death Dealers have been winning non-stop. We have more losses than wins; more causalities a day than kills; more weapons lost than our stock can keep up with.

Yet, through it all, one thing I continue to do and do not wish to stop doing is going out when it rains. I do not travel to the city anymore, for fear of being killed. I do, however, stand on the roof of Nueva Esperanza and feel the rain wash away my troubles, even if it's only temporary.

This war will balance out, I know it will. My team **_will_** gain the upper hand. Especially since we have a secret plan, an idea that will go down in history. It's just a matter of time before we can go through with it.

But enough about the war; there's a more pressing question that Damien and I have answered in the last 50 years.

Damien finally figured out the name of that darned actress in _Pearl Harbor_.

It's Kate Beckinsale. What an ugly, untalented bitch.


End file.
